Dam



C. V. DAVIS Feb; 23, 1932.

DAM

Filed April 50,1930

INVENTO 7 ,MW ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 1932 I I A U TED: S ATES aras-r jxoi rica CAL IN v. DAVIS, or MO NT VERNON, New YoRKQAssIqNon o imues m STRUGTION COMPANY,INC.,' OFHNEW YORK, 1v. Y., noonroimrroiv or new Yonx I DAM 7 Application filed April s0, 1 s3o. SerialNo.f148,534.

and in which:

This invention relates to a novel and -improved type of dam, and morepa'rticu-larly 'to a foundation structure adapted for use where the foundation material contains areas ,,5 which are unsuitable for supporting the load of the dam. The invention 'will be best understood from the following --description and the annexed drawings, I in which I have shown selectedembodiments ofthe invention v. approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing one embodiment of the invention.

7 ut showin 1 different form of the, i n. tion.

2 At certain sites selected {for the construotion of damsthereis'frequently fauna-a area or areas.comprisingrfoundation material not capable of taking the full loading put upon itby the dam structure; Such areas 2. frequently occur at portions of a site which i is otherwise of excellent material for dam construction. Examples of such areas are furnished by rock, which is different incha'r acter from the high-grade rock adjacent 1t 7 3 or rock "which may be broken'or have lines 'of cleavage not capable ofresistin'g the sliding forces put uponit by the weight of the structure; r a faulted condition caused by earthquakes ormajorearth movements; or 5 a deep narrow gorge filled with earth "or other soft 'material which it would be uneconomica-l Fro-excavate Aniexample of situation which may be found isshown'in'Fig's. 2 and 3,'wherein A #550 designates a portion of soft material which "may be foundin the stream'bed across which "the dam is being'buijlt and which may extend downwardly for .a great depth. *A'dja'ce'nt" "this material may be found a-portion B of brokenrock capable of taking more load-than the -portion A but still not sufiiciently good to support :the clam structure. On opposite sides of the poor material A and B it is not uncommon tofind sound rock areas C.

' Accordingto prior art practice, it has 'been the-custointo bridge a fault such as that described above, by means of a reinforced beam or slab upon which the superstructure of the "dam is placed.- With i such a construction, :however; when the load is applied to the slab -or beam, there is apt *to'occur a diiferential in settlementbecause of the difference in character: of the foundation material beneaththe slab.

According to this invention,- I construct I fthe buttresses Lin much the usual way, car- 1 Fig. 3 is a view corresponding toF1g52,

rying to solid {rock those that can be so carried with ec'onomy,ibut: resting those'above the 7 :material A and B upon a footing 3, This footingis inthe form of a slab capable of 'transmitting to th'e material A and B that 7 portion of the" buttress loading which this material will carry without undue settlement.

Extending between the buttresses which are above the material -A and B and spanning that material is a plurality of transversely .eX-

tending'ribs 4, these ribs extending fromtthe slab or footing 3 upwardly between the but- ,tresses, and being spaced apartupand downstream, as-plainl-y shown in Fig, 1.

In Fig. 2, the top surface 5 of each of these ribs is formedas the eXtrados of an arch 1 which is composedof the upper portion of V j the rib,"the"theo1"etical intrados bein indi cated by" the line 6. Theribs vexten iconiopposite sides of the vfault, A where suitable f pletely across the faulty material A and, B and rest; securely upon the sound'rock C on abutments may [be had. Preferably, fthe footing or slab 8'is integrally 'connectedlwith 'theiribsunear their-"ends, so 'thatthis slab forms','; at the:webs, chords connecting the haunches ofjthe arches adjacent their abutmentsJfThe arch is shown as provided with reinforcement 7 adj acent the intrados and the as T extrados, but this may be omitted if desired. The structure also may be so designed that uponloading of the arches, joints 8 between the ribs and the buttresses may open. By proper designing, this opening of joints may be restricted to points beneath the intrados 6 and above the extrados 5 of each arch. As the load is taken ofi the arches, the joints 8 may close again or, under certain conditions, they may remain pen,but in any case the structure can be so designed that there should be no vforming of cracks the theoretical arch. The portion of each web disposed between twoadjaoent buttresses is integral with thejtheoret-ical arch, but mayor may not be either case, the principle of the internal arch is used in designing each web.

Referring now to 3, I have shown therein a construction adapted to resist side thrust whichv may .becaused for example, by side-wise pressure of the material .above the 't'ault D. This sidewisepressure may 'bezand usually iiszincreased by pressure from the weight of thesuperstructure resting-thereon. lniorderitoresist this pressure, Irbuildthe ribs, in this 'form, to such a heightas to brace the buttressesagainstthegpressure exerted by theside thrust. The il'lbS 9, in thiskform are shown as having substantially-1horizontaltops 10. andgherezagain, the :principleof theinternal arch'is relied uponato forma supporting structurespanningithe ifaulty material Aand B, and adapted to support-the buttresses "which would ordinarilyrest uponithis faulty -materi-al. .1 lnzthisz-form lalso,'reinforcing may .be-zused in the theoretical .:a-r.c'h,- ;the extrados :and. intrados of which: are. indicated respecstiyely at-5 :and 6, although v reinforcing is :not shown in this figure. similarly the; ribs zmay be built. integrally with the Ebuttresse's,

2.0r joints's8'may be provided as in the form .:shown:in Fig.2.

- ;In.both Figs.:2: and :3, :it will I be seen :that itheiribs form aasubstantiallycontinuous.arch oVerathe "f-aulty material .A and .B, ev'en though the iform of the. rib :may not be' that bf anarch'. r

" lt is 05% course understood that, in this type of dam, the buttresses laree'mployed to support =an up-stream deck-I1 which comes in contact withthe water in the reservoir and which transmits the load "through the'but t resses to thefifoundationl In order-to prefound desirable, and which thus forms a strong foundation structure.

I claim 1. A masonry dam comprising an upstream deck supported by a plurality of buttresses, and ribsextending between adjacent buttresses and forming therewith a substantially continuous structure resting at either end on solid bearing material and designed to act as an arch to help support the buttresses and also to resist compressive ierces acting (lengthwise er i'ihedaln.

2. masonry dam comprising an upstream deck supported by a plurality of buttresses, i ibs entendingbetween adjacent integral with the ad'jacent buttresses. ln buttresses and iorm'i'ngtherewith a'substantially continuous structure resting at either 'end on solid bearing material and designed to fact as anarch to ,help support the buttresses and a'lsoto resistcompressive forces acting .lengthiwiseiof theidam and lmasonryblosing sthelspace beneath said arch.

l masonry-dam comprising .an upstream 'deck supported .by 'a ;plurality of abilittresses, ribs-extending between adjacent {but 'tresses and forming-a substantially continuous structure resting at either end on ,solid bearing material ,and .designed .to )ac :as .an ;arch, the buttresses-extending below ,said

arch, and a slab on which the .buttresseSiIBS 4. Agrnasonry dam. .congprising hn "1. stream: deck supported by.a,plurality.ozt.bilttresses, ribs extendingibetween adjacent butttresses. and forming Fa substantially mntinuou-s structure resting at (either end on solid bearing {material and designed to act as an jarch, the "buttresses extending below said arch, and a slab onwhich thebuttresse'srest in ,part, said slahalsozforming..a..chord con- 7 ,nectingathe: haunches IofQthe arches adjacent Ftheirabutments' ,5..A .masonrzy stream deck supported 7 by a plurality of .buttresses, ,ribs extending between -,adiacent buttresses and forming.asubstantiaILy c n- ,tinuous structure resting )at eitheraendon isolid bearingmaterial and. designedto act as an arch, and a chordlconnectingithejl haunches ,of the. arch adj acent their abutments.

L6.,A* masonry dam comprising an'up- .dam comprising ,an '..1 p-- .fstrea'm .deckfsupported" by ,a plurality .off butltres'ses, ribs extendingibetween adj acentbiitjtressesl and ifQIlIlmg av substantially continuous structure resting at jeithclf .end Oil S 1il1 w t the 'bu ng p (if q a Pressure f bearing ,materi-alkand :designe'dto; act, as,-,an

caused by the percolation of back water f. through the damn-I provide drains 12 through q '.the ri-bsi's ,and other drains 13 extending amughthesub a I The above construction not inly'i rproyides an arch support or-supports for the buttresses -across fa tault but-itralso .proyidesla I cellular 5 construction consisting of a, plurality ofsadj-"acent cells which may; be tied, .to-getheras arch, the buttressesextenfding below said ..arcl 1, .a slab on whichithel buttresses rest in partfand @drains elxtendi-ngithroughjQsaid .sl-abbetweenthe buttresses.

end on solid bearing material and designed to act as an arch, said ,ribshaving portions disposed above the theoretical arch and ex- 7 tending laterally therefrom to transmit side thrust to the arch.

8. A masonry dam comprising an up stream deck supported by a plurality of but- 7 tresses, and ribs extending between adjacent buttresses and forming therewith a substantially continuous structure restingat either end on solid bearing material and designed to act as an arch, portions of the ribs extending one side of the theoretical arch, and joints between the buttresses and ribs on said slde.

CALVIN V. DAVIS. 

